There is no doubt that the Gators could have won this game, despite the clear coaching mismanagement. Going on the road to take on the Tennessee Vols, the Gators competed as two-touchdown underdogs. Leading the game 10-0 in the 3rd quarter, this was a close game, with no one seemingly wanting to win. Going into overtime, the Vols pulled away scoring a touchdown after the Gators missed their field goal attempt. Dominating the first half, and coming up short in the final outcome was extremely disappointing. Playing good enough to win, the Gators’ downfall was the coaching mismanagement. Playing lights out on defense, the offensive playcalling did nothing to help out. Neither did losing starting quarterback Graham Mertz or running back Montrell Johnson Jr. to injury. Morale was certainly high heading into this matchup, and the Gators played physical football. However, the coaching was not up to par.
Time is Up
If anyone still believed in head coach Billy Napier, this certainly flipped them to the rest of the fanbase. The Gators came to play today, putting up a valiant effort against a top-10 Tennessee squad. The coach, however, showed no signs of being able to manage a game plan or the clock. The offense was rolling in the first half, repeatedly getting into the red zone. Yet, fans were left pulling their hair out due to the red zone inefficiency. Getting stuffed on 4th and inches, Napier inexplicably called an end around to Tre Wilson. Fans were left furious that Napier didn’t simply call a sneak, as quarterback DJ Lagway is 240 pounds. Instead, he opted to run the quarterback sneak with Mertz who promptly fumbled at the one-yard line. Leaving points on the field, the Gators were only up three at the half, despite the dominant defensive effort.
Injuries Galore
Being handed a painfully close loss wasn’t the only bad news for the Gators on Saturday night. Veteran quarterback Graham Mertz went down with an injury after throwing a touchdown pass in the 3rd quarter. Missing the rest of the game, it was a lower-body injury, with many fans fearing the worst. Mertz was in street clothes on crutches watching the game teary-eyed from the sideline. Giving his all for the program, Mertz truly bled Orange and Blue throughout his career. Fans are hoping it’s only a knee sprain, as, if worse, he would be out the remainder of the year. Not only did Mertz go down, but so did starting running back Montrell Johnson Jr. Breaking off a big run in the third quarter, he went down awkwardly missing the rest of the game. Updates will come soon as to the severity of both injuries.
Defense Stands Tall
The last two weekends, this has been a new Gator defense. Defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong has found his rhythm, as his unit has been a force. Keeping Nico Iamaleava bottled up, he never found his groove. Eventually allowing running back Dylan Sampson to score a few touchdowns, they still limited the offense. Forcing two turnovers, this loss was not on the defense in the slightest. Shutting down UCF last game, everyone knew that the Vols were a different monster, and not much was expected. However, the defense came to play once again. Sacking Iamaleava three times, the pass rush showed that last weekend was not an anomaly. For the first time in years, the Gators’ defense could realistically be the strong suit of this team. It is clear that the Gators utilized the bye week wisely, as this has been an entirely different unit since.
More Miscues
Not only was their mismanagement on the offensive play calling, but the Gators suffered more special teams issues. At the end of the half, the defense stood tall, picking off Iamaleava and getting well into field goal range. However, due to a substitution infraction on the attempt, there was a 10-second runoff, resulting in no points. With the game later going into overtime, this was a big blunder for the coaching staff. Having extreme special teams issues last season, Gator fans thought they had finally turned a corner. Later, Gator kicker Trey Smack missed his overtime field goal attempt, from 47 yards out. Notoriously missing a field goal last season against Arkansas, fans are beginning to become frustrated by his untimely misses. The good news is that the punt return group did a tremendous job, with Chimere Dike putting together two clutch returns.
Final Thoughts
Billy Napier simply cannot continue being the head coach of the Florida Gators. The players showed up and showed out, outplaying Tennessee the entire game. If the Gators had taken advantage of their opportunities, this game would have been a blowout. DJ Lagway struggled when given the reigns, however much of that may have been due to playcalling. Eventually coming up clutch, he fired a dart for a touchdown with less than 30 seconds remaining. The Gators then fell apart in overtime, moving backward on offense. This game showed the nation that talent is no longer the issue, as the Gators matched up well. The in-game decision-making blunders fall squarely on the head coach. The writing has been on the wall for a while now, however, this was certainly the final straw. In an extremely winnable game, the Gators head coach showed pure mismanagement.
